The Great British Baking Show (2010)

Bake Off and Nigella are a match made in heaven. She brings glamour, intelligence and poise. And, of course, a hefty dollop of innuendo.

Throughout it all, the show has remained much-loved – and the latest formula, with Nigella now in the mix, looks set to be every bit as delicious.

With the addition of Allison and her easy chemistry with the contestants — it seems like they've returned to what made the show so great to begin with tone-wise and managed a very sweet premiere. Let's see what the next challenge brings.

There were very few surprises in the results. ... Noel and Matt were delightfully frivolous, Prue was still giddy at the prospect of eating a very boozy cake, and Paul’s “white walker” eyes still stalked the tent like a lioness hunting a gazelle. Bake Off has become a vital part of British culture and anything other than the delightfully twee show we know and love would cause riots in the flour aisles. The last thing Britain needs right now is more change.

At the end of a long work week few television diversions look as sweet. And don’t be shocked if you wake up Saturday with a hankering for pancakes--and the confidence that you can make them from scratch.

Lovely people, too, but it is, in truth, a bit dull, a bit too wholemeal wholesome, and I’m not sure what they would have done without that chicken with a funny name to vary the pace a bit.

Replacing [Sandi Tosvig] with [Matt] Lucas, known for his own cringeworthy style, turns both hosts into a sideshow rather than reassuring emcees. In the first episode, his bits were more distracting than amusing. But the real problem with the season premiere was the showstopper challenge. .... It wasn't a test of baking but of sculpting. .... COVID isn't the reason "Baking" is failing. The flavor of the series is off, and it might never be quite as sweet again.